DC/DC boost converter

• US 8,513,932 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Chen-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US13/197,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20120229114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 323/222, 323/225, 323/232, 323/259, 323/271, 323/282, 323/351
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1586 switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved

Abstract

A DC/DC boost converter includes a first boost driving unit, a second boost driving unit connected in parallel with the first boost driving unit, and a capacitor electrically connected to the first and second boost driving units. The first boost driving unit is utilized for performing a first driving operation according to an input voltage and a first control signal. The first driving operation includes a first energy-storing operation and a first energy-releasing operation. The second boost driving unit is utilized for performing a second driving operation according to the input voltage and a second control signal different from the first control signal. The second driving operation includes a second energy-storing operation and a second energy-releasing operation. The first and second energy-releasing operations are employed to alternately charge the capacitor for generating an output voltage.

Claims

1. A DC/DC boost converter, comprising:

a first boost driving unit for performing a first driving operation according to an input voltage and a first control signal, wherein the first driving operation includes a first energy-storing operation and a first energy-releasing operation;

a second boost driving unit, electrically connected in parallel with the first boost driving unit, for performing a second driving operation according to the input voltage and a second control signal different from the first control signal, wherein the second driving operation includes a second energy-storing operation and a second energy-releasing operation; and

a capacitor, electrically connected to the first and second boost driving units, for generating an output voltage through performing a charging operation according to the first energy-releasing operation and the second energy-releasing operation;

wherein the first boost driving unit performs the first energy-storing operation during a first energy-storing interval, and performs the first energy-releasing operation during a first energy-releasing interval; and

the second boost driving unit performs the second energy-storing operation during a second energy-storing interval, and performs the second energy-releasing operation during a second energy-releasing interval completely not overlapped with the first energy-releasing interval.

2. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 1, wherein the first energy-storing interval includes the second energy-releasing interval, and the second energy-storing interval includes the first energy-releasing interval.

3. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 1, wherein the first boost driving unit comprises:

a first inductor having a first end for receiving the input voltage, and a second end;

a first switch having a first end electrically connected to the second end of the first inductor, a gate end for receiving the first control signal, and a second end for receiving a first reference voltage; and

a first diode having an anode electrically connected to the second end of the first inductor, and a cathode electrically connected to the capacitor.

4. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 1, wherein the second boost driving unit comprises:

a second inductor having a first end for receiving the input voltage, and a second end;

a second switch having a first end electrically connected to the second end of the second inductor, a gate end for receiving the second control signal, and a second end for receiving a second reference voltage; and

a second diode having an anode electrically connected to the second end of the second inductor, and a cathode electrically connected to the capacitor.

5. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 1, wherein the capacitor has a first end electrically connected to the first and second boost driving units, and a second end for receiving a reference voltage.

6. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a third boost driving unit, electrically connected in parallel with the first boost driving unit, for performing a third driving operation according to the input voltage and a third control signal different from the first and second control signals, wherein the third driving operation includes a third energy-storing operation and a third energy-releasing operation.

7. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 6, wherein:

the third boost driving unit performs the third energy-storing operation during a third energy-storing interval, and performs the third energy-releasing operation during a third energy-releasing interval completely not overlapped with the first and second energy-releasing intervals.

8. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 7, wherein the first energy-storing interval includes the second and third energy-releasing intervals, the second energy-storing interval includes the first and third energy-releasing intervals, and the third energy-storing interval includes the first and second energy-releasing intervals.

9. The DC/DC boost converter of claim 6, wherein the third boost driving unit comprises:

a third inductor having a first end for receiving the input voltage, and a second end;

a third switch having a first end electrically connected to the second end of the third inductor, a gate end for receiving the third control signal, and a second end for receiving a third reference voltage; and

a third diode having an anode electrically connected to the second end of the third inductor, and a cathode electrically connected to the capacitor.